I always find this type of response interesting. All a GM can do is put the best team together he/she can on paper, but sometimes, players don't play to their averages and sometimes players play above their heads.

I always find this type of response interesting. All a GM can do is put the best team together he/she can on paper, but sometimes, players don't play to their averages and sometimes players play above their heads.

Right now he has a high C or a low B from me. That deal Chris Sale got was a great move but with any deal involving a pitcher there is a lot of risk involved. I am sure Cub fans would have been very pleased if they had locked up Mark Prior in 2003 too, but again the risk of injury comes with the territory. Even if Sale blows out his elbow and isn't very effective again it is still a worthwhile risk to take I think.

True, but there's still that whole "He's skinny and throws all weird.", as Margolis put it.

Kind of odd to see a contract extension for a pitcher we already have on the roster pushing Hahn to much higher grades.

We let lots of good FAs walk, resigned a starter to a big deal who will have a surgery named after him in the future, got a hurt Keppinger who may not be able to play 3B until June, and did little else, other than expecting many players who have failed in the past to suddenly put it all together.

I know hope in spring training is infectious, but this year, I'm gonna have to see some results to assume this team will be any better than the .500 club they look like on paper.

Right now he has a high C or a low B from me. That deal Chris Sale got was a great move but with any deal involving a pitcher there is a lot of risk involved. I am sure Cub fans would have been very pleased if they had locked up Mark Prior in 2003 too, but again the risk of injury comes with the territory. Even if Sale blows out his elbow and isn't very effective again it is still a worthwhile risk to take I think.

I agree. The Sale extension was a good move and he was able to bring back Peavy. But I still see the Sox as about a .500 team this year.

To be fair, I don't think Hahn had too much to work with. The farm system is pretty bare, making it difficult to trade for talent. Also, I'm assuming he didn't have much payroll flexibility to work with.

True, but there's still that whole "He's skinny and throws all weird.", as Margolis put it.

Kind of odd to see a contract extension for a pitcher we already have on the roster pushing Hahn to much higher grades.

We let lots of good FAs walk, resigned a starter to a big deal who will have a surgery named after him in the future, got a hurt Keppinger who may not be able to play 3B until June, and did little else, other than expecting many players who have failed in the past to suddenly put it all together.

I know hope in spring training is infectious, but this year, I'm gonna have to see some results to assume this team will be any better than the .500 club they look like on paper.

First, who were these lots of good FA's that we let walk besides AJ? Youk? That guy is washed up and not worth the $12 million the Yankees are paying him this year. For as good as AJ had been for the Sox I think there is more going on than we know that led to his departure. And there is no way AJ replicates his season from last year.

Second, what crystal ball are you using that has told you Sale is going to have a surgery named after him? Why are you so sure he is going to blow his arm out, because other people have said so? Other people have said he has the same motion as Randy Johnson and Johnson seemed to have a pretty good career.

And of course this team looks like a .500 club. They looked this way last year too and I think most of us on this board knew this was going to be the way the team goes until after 2014 and the big contracts come off the board. I think Hahn has done what he can considering the status of the team and the farm system. And yes, signing Sale to that extension is risky but the reward can be so great that it could go down as one of the best signings the Sox have ever made.

We let lots of good FAs walk, resigned a starter to a big deal who will have a surgery named after him in the future, got a hurt Keppinger who may not be able to play 3B until June, and did little else, other than expecting many players who have failed in the past to suddenly put it all together.

Am I missing something here? I haven't read or heard anything that indicates Keppinger's inability to play 3B until June. Robin was on WSCR this morning and indicated Keppinger was acquired primarily to play 3B but has some flexbility to play other spots when they need him to. He made no mention of any physical limitations.

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The very existence of flamethrowers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, "You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done." -George Carlin

First, who were these lots of good FA's that we let walk besides AJ? Youk? That guy is washed up and not worth the $12 million the Yankees are paying him this year. For as good as AJ had been for the Sox I think there is more going on than we know that led to his departure. And there is no way AJ replicates his season from last year.

Second, what crystal ball are you using that has told you Sale is going to have a surgery named after him? Why are you so sure he is going to blow his arm out, because other people have said so? Other people have said he has the same motion as Randy Johnson and Johnson seemed to have a pretty good career.

And of course this team looks like a .500 club. They looked this way last year too and I think most of us on this board knew this was going to be the way the team goes until after 2014 and the big contracts come off the board. I think Hahn has done what he can considering the status of the team and the farm system. And yes, signing Sale to that extension is risky but the reward can be so great that it could go down as one of the best signings the Sox have ever made.

First, who were these lots of good FA's that we let walk besides AJ? Youk? That guy is washed up and not worth the $12 million the Yankees are paying him this year. For as good as AJ had been for the Sox I think there is more going on than we know that led to his departure. And there is no way AJ replicates his season from last year.

Not signing Youk gets him an A from me. ($12M, gasp)

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Prince Harry and Meghan are starting to get on my nerves.